1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to load detecting vehicle seat assemblies.
2. Background Art
A number of vehicle manufacturers have implemented vehicle seat load sensing systems, particularly for use in determining whether and/or how forcefully to deploy one or more airbags in an accident. One strategy for detecting the weight or load placed on a vehicle seat is to use one or more strain gages associated with a particular seat or position on the seat. The strain gage or gages may be positioned so that a load (such as created by an occupant) on the vehicle seat deflects an associated surface of the strain gage with the deflection or strain used to generate a corresponding signal indicative of the load. For repeatable measurements with a desired accuracy, strain gages may require a specific flatness tolerance for the mounting surface of the seat component. Due to the size and/or complexity of the components that may have surfaces suitable for mounting the strain gage, such as the cushion frame, seat adjuster, and/or seat riser, for example, manufacturing such components with the desired flatness tolerance for accurate load indication of the strain gage(s) is difficult and may result in increased cost and/or unusable (scrap) components.